Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) and Australian Noise Exposure Index (ANEI) Charts

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Technical endorsement of ANEFs and ANEIs by Airservices

Consistent with part (x) of Ministerial Direction M37/99, Airservices is responsible for endorsing the technical accuracy of ANEFs and ANEIs for all Australian airports.

Manner of endorsement

Our Airport and Environment Team considers a number of assumptions and inputs when conducting technical endorsements of ANEFs. These assumptions and inputs can be found in the updated ‘manner of endorsement’ document approved by the former Minister Infrastructure and Transport in April 2017.

Airservices (‘the endorser’) must be satisfied with the following assumptions and inputs when deciding whether to endorse an ANEF, (as per the ‘manner of endorsement’ document above).

That the appropriate selection of aircraft types for the airport have been used as input data;
that the runway usage and flight path data used as an input to the model are ‘operationally suitable for the airport’ (this is usually confirmed in writing by Airservices air traffic control staff familiar with that airport);
that the forecast numbers of aircraft movements, operating times and the aircraft types carrying out operations are not greater than the physical ultimate capacity of the existing or proposed runway/s, using accepted and published methodologies;
that the contours have been modelled correctly;
that the proponent has demonstrated they have paid ‘due regard’ to all issues raised by state and local government authorities in relation to the ANEF; and
any other matter the endorser considers relevant in deciding whether to endorse the ANEF.

Data requests for ANEF preparation

In order to begin the ANEF preparation process, you or your consultant should request recent sets of aircraft movement data for your airport from our Noise and Flight Path Monitoring System (NFPMS).

To request this data, please complete and submit a tailored data order form.

Please note that sufficient time should be allowed for the data request process (e.g. 4-6 weeks), prior to commencing preparation of an ANEF. This is to ensure that a standard Airservices data licence (legal agreement) is completed between Airservices and your airport. The data requested will then be compiled by our Airport and Environment Team and sent to you (or your consultant).

Model development

Using AEDT software

ANEFS for technical endorsement need to be produced in US Federal Aviation Administration’s (US FAA’s) Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT).

Visit the US Federal Aviation Administration website for more information on AEDT.

AEDT software compatibility requirements and planned updates

AEDT files submitted for technical endorsement must be compatible with the AEDT and SQL Server versions used by Airservices. From July 2022, all AEDT files submitted must be compatible with AEDT Version 3e and SQL Server 2017.

Upcoming AEDT and/or SQL Server updates

Any changes to the AEDT and SQL Server versions used by Airservices will be announced on this webpage.

The Integrated Noise Model (INM) was developed by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and has been used extensively in Australia for the environmental assessment of aircraft noise, development of Australian Noise Exposure Forecast/Index maps (ANEF/ANEIs), and the generation of number above (Nxx) noise contour maps. The INM software was supported by the FAA until September 2016 and has since been replaced by AEDT. To keep up with technology changes, the aviation industry in Australia must migrate away from the use of INM to AEDT. Prior to 2019, ANEF models needed to be developed through the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (US FAA’s) Integrated Noise Model (INM). INM has since been replaced by AEDT.

We undertook a 12 month transition period from using INM to AEDT, from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019. As this transition period has ended, we will only accept ANEFs for technical endorsement that have been produced using AEDT.

The importance of

Prior notice

We strongly recommend that you notify Airservices by email 1-2 months prior to submitting an ANEF information package for endorsement. This helps to identify any issues early on and ensure that proposed timelines can be agreed and met.

Check List

ANEF submission checklist

We have developed an ANEF Submission Checklist which provides guidance on the particular aspects of ANEFs that we review when conducting our technical endorsement. Please ensure that this checklist has been reviewed and completed prior to submitting an ANEF package for endorsement.

Download the checklist

ANEF submission

At a minimum, we require the following information to be submitted as part of an ANEF information package for technical endorsement:

a complete copy of the ANEF noise study modelling files (.bak)
an ANEF technical report and appendices.

All ANEF technical endorsement submissions and queries should be sent to NoiseEnviroTeam@AirservicesAustralia.com. Our email attachment size restriction is 20MB, please compress larger files or send files in multiple emails with the same subject line. Alternatively, please contact us to setup access to an online data portal to submit larger files for the ANEF.

Timing of ANEF technical endorsements

Allow 10-12 weeks (excluding shutdown periods) for the ANEF technical endorsement process. This time frame starts only when the full ANEF information package is submitted for technical endorsement. If we find any issue with the ANEF information package that needs further clarification, this time frame will be paused until that information is received.

Signature of final ANEF charts

In order to complete the ANEF chart endorsement process, we will provide you with electronic copies of the relevant Airservices signature block for inclusion on the electronic version of the chart. You will then be responsible for printing out three physical copies of the chart (usually as A1 size), and delivering them to the appropriate Airservices location for physical signature by the relevant Airservices manager. Our team can advise you who the relevant manager is, on an airport by airport basis. Ensure you leave 1-2 days for this process at the end of your ANEF preparation schedule.

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